It has been a frustrating season for U.S. international midfielder Stuart Holden, who has had to face another long-term injury while trying to build on his early success in the Premier League. That injury has not changed his stature as one of Bolton’s more important, personable players, though.
Holden was featured in a lengthy interview with the BBC, in which he sheds light on how his move to Bolton came about, his account of Fabrice Muamba’s collapse, soccer in the United States, Clint Dempsey and the club’s battle against relegation, among other topics.
Bolton is currently in the drop zone, but with the club having six games left, Holden holds an optimistic outlook of returning to the Premier League, and not the League Championship, when he regains fitness and can join fellow American Tim Ream back on the playing field.
“I firmly believe we will stay up,” Holden said. “Everyone has that firm belief we are going to dig ourselves out of this. It’s been a strange year. We’ve had injuries, we’ve had the thing that happened to Fabrice. It’s really brought everyone closer together. ”
As for Dempsey, who Holden said was the best player he had ever played with, he offered, “He’s having an unbelievable year, and he’s definitely one of the greatest American soccer players,” Holden said. “He’s only 29, so he’s only going to get better. I’d love personally, for me, to see Clint move to a bigger club, a Champions League team, and really show that he can do it at that next step up because he’s a great player.
Give Holden’s interview a watch and let us know what you think about his remarks and Bolton’s chances of staying in the Premier League in the comments section below.
i’m quite sure stu doesn’t expect the spot to just be given to him.. although, i would be inclined to just give it to him
The only thing I want to hear from Holden is that he’s in training again. This has been a very, very long time off. I wonder if playing in the EPL, with all the associated risks, was really better for him than staying in the MLS. Cant see this kind of injury happening in MLS
He may never play again or end up like Charlie Davies
I think one of the reasons he isn’t playing for Bolton this season is so that he won’t be called up for the USMNT this summer.
Stu is an unfortunate example of bad things happening to good people. he has an incredible attitude about it all though, and i think it’s all gonna come back around for him one day. when he was at his best before the injury, i really could have seen him on the starting lineup for some of the top clubs in just a few year’s time. it might take longer now, but i definitely see him in the champions league soon
Wow. An SBI comment made me literally laugh out loud. Cheers.
I agree with this.
Who are you referring too?
Stu is a class act. Because of all the bad luck he’s had in his career thus far you really cant help but root for him to make it back and be better than ever. If all goes well I’m with NE Matt, we should see him back in our new hooped-kit in October/November
Impressed that he says his leg was broken against Holland. I would be like, “Mo-#%&#%&#$(#$(&#($&#(#%&#% d#($#()$#&” De Jong … But obviously Stu is a better man than I.
He’ll definitely have to earn his spot back for both country and club- no doubt. It will be tough to get back up to where he was, but if he continues to put the time in he’ll get there. A great player and even better person taking it one step at a time.. Go Stu! Go USA!
+1 that midfield is killer in FIFA12
He absolutely will have to work his way back into national team plans. If we had made the Olympics, Stu had already counted himself out of being an overage selection – for fitness reasons no less. Thus, that also rules him out of the 5 games in May and June and with no more qualifiers until September and October, which coincides with the beginning of the English leagues one would think the earliest chance he’d have of returning would be in October (assuming 2 months of good league performance). The better bet though is he’ll return to meaningful national team games during the hexagonal play in 2013, or a touch sooner for friendlies.
I couldn’t disagree more but we won’t really know until he regains his form AND fitness.
Divers Suck, I don’t think Stu would expect it any other way. However, in the Klinsmann era, it appears not everyone has to earn their spot and sometimes those who have just get ignored.
I’m gonna play devils advocate. Stu has a fantastic attitude and I hope he comes back at full fitness, but realistically he is pretty much down the pecking order of mids for the Nats at this time. Really, he is still a bit inexperienced in caps also. This, for me, is not a bad thing. The more competition, the more it brings out the best in a stacked midfield. I just think Stu should have to earn his spot just as everyone else and not expect it to be given to him.
^This. With Dempsey playing in front of them with Donovan and Fabian on the wings.
I really appreciate how he praises other, while having a humble yet quietly confident spirit himself. A great model for our younger players to emulate. Go on Stu!!
LOL
I would love to see a Holden Bradley pairing in the midfield.
Thank you Ives. About time SBI started to attach itself to some sort of podcast
Love how he uses the term “the gaffer” for his coach. RBNY players should start calling Backe that too, as in, all he does is make gaffes.
So well spoken, and such an incredible attitude considering some of the bad breaks he has gotten at a young age. A great ambassador for our crew abroad for sure
It’s a shame he’s been hurt for so long. Stuey is arguably the class of our midfield going into 2014.
Yes, I’m counting Donovan into that equation.
No, I’m not counting Dempsey (who appears to be moving into a FWD role with club/country).
Can’t wait to see him being the heart of our midfield.